Date: 8/13/12 2:20 pm
From: warblerick <warblerick...>
Subject: [MDBirding] Woodbine yard birds, migrants, etc.


Migration here has begun with some nice visitors this past several days. On Friday 8/10 I was out working in the front yard and heard a Black-billed Cuckoo calling from my neighbors trees. On Saturday 8/11 I was birding out on the deck in the early evening and spotted a little yellowish job perched in a dead snag way out back (in perfect sunlight), and by its upright posture knew it was a flycatcher. It was nearly as bright as a female goldfinch so I went running inside and grabbed my scope. It turned out to be an early Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, my second for the yard. I got a new 30x wide angle eyepiece for my Swarovski scope, one of the last available, as they've discontinued it, and very pleased so far. Also on that day had a single Blue-gray Gnatcatcher as well as another today, just migrants here and scarce at that. Had at least 2 Purple Martins flying around this afternoon, and seeing lots of Baltimore Orioles in the yard now too, many young of the year. We've had a pair of bluebirds fledge two sets of babies from one box, and working on their third now, so loads of them around too.

Nice to be back after spending the summer off...

--